CELTIC LEAGUE FIXTURE DATES AND TV FOR 2005 / 2006

Armchair viewers will not only have two matches each weekend to savour, but also the two midweek derbies involving the four Welsh regions in week two of the new season.

The Scarlets kick-off the new campaign against Edinburgh Gunners in front of the BBC Wales cameras at Stradey Park on Friday 2 September (kick-off 7.10 pm) with reigning champions the Ospreys opening the defence of their title in an S4C Sunday showdown against Leinster at the New Stadium, Swansea (kick-off 5.10pm).

All four Welsh regions will have at least one home televised game in September, the Scarlets staging their clash against Connacht at The Racecourse, Wrexham, on 17 September. Both the all-Welsh midweek contests - the Ospreys against the Dragons on Tuesday 13 September, and the Blues against the Scarlets at the Arms Park the following evening, will be broadcast live.

The television package between BBC Wales, S4C and Setanta means a total of 12 of the 22 matches will be screened in the opening month.

"The Celtic League is growing in stature year on year and the challenge to our regions is to keep the title in Wales for a third year running," said WRU chief executive Steve Lewis. "It promises to be a hectic start to the season for the four regions with five matches to be played in the opening month, but that will be a great way for the players to warm-up for their European assignments in October and our four match Autumn Test Series in November.

"It is great news that BBC Wales and S4C will be adding to their excellent coverage with extra midweek action and the matches around the Christmas period should be particularly exciting."

There will be a Christmas and New Year bonanza for fans with six red hot Welsh derbies to savour over the festive period. The action kicks-off on Thursday 22 December when the Ospreys host the Blues (S4C) with the Dragons home to the Scarlets the following night (BBC Wales).

The action resumes on Tuesday 27 December when the Blues welcome arch rivals the Dragons to the Arms Park (kick-off 4.10pm on S4C) with the Ospreys travelling the next day to Llanelli to meet the Scarlets in the traditional west Wales derby (kick-off 2.30pm on BBC Wales).

The regions welcome in the New Year with the Dragons at home to the Ospreys on New Year's Day (kick-off 3.10pm on BBC Wales), while the Scarlets entertain the Blues at Stradey Park on Monday 2 January (kick-off 4.10pm on S4C).

Dodgy tattoos, carthorses, Avatar and soft chins are revealed by Wales Sevens players Tom Williams and Sam Cross as they profile the Wales Sevens squad taking part in Hong Kong this weekend in the latest round of the HSBC Sevens World Series.

The youngest member of the Wales Women's squad, Keira Bevan, is hoping to repay the faith shown in her when she starts her first Six Nations game against Italy tomorrow evening in the final round of the championship.

Sevens head coach Gareth Williams is a happy man after drafting in full internationals Rhodri Williams and Adam Warren for the next two rounds of the world series in Hong Kong and Japan, as WRU TV's Graeme Gillespie discovers.